It turns out that once I had fainted, Himora had taken over and blasted the cracked ceiling with a hydro stream, causing the beasts to be crushed.
"That soundwave opened the door."
Athena pointed out.
"Now I don't have to waste any more magic to get it open."
She says, stretching her arms over her head with a slight yawn.
I was in pain, but we had no time for rest.
We had several more pressing matters to attend to and several more rooms to deal with them in
"Well...ouch! Let's go."
I said as I staggered in my first attempt to climb to my feet.
"Are you okay?"
Athena asks as she bends low to help me.
"Yeah, just a headache."
I say as I shake the dust from my garments and we all move on toward the door that leads to the next level.
"So... This time we have to fight?..."
Himora asks Athena, seemingly forgetting the preparation speech that was given earlier.
"If I remember correctly, the only way to defeat the Naridian Alpha Giant is to break or shatter both of its knees."
Apparently, Athena was thinking aloud because she just walked while she talked, and we simply followed.
"Hey, wait!"
I shouted to her just before we crossed the threshold of the looming door.
"Let me go first. I can take a blow much better than you can, and we need you alive to open the doors."
She glanced at me with a look of indignation at first before shrugging and slowing her pace.
"Oh, good point!"
She said.
Himora nodded his head in agreement before he took her gently by the arm and pulled her behind him as well.
I led us up the stairway, down the hall, to the edge of the massive doorway that led into the next room.
We all stop together and ready ourselves and our gear for the next battle.
"On three, we rush in and split up, okay?"
I say to both Himora and Athena.
"Okay"
The two reply in unison.
We could see the giant through the doorway.
Its back was to us, and its huge mace was in its hand.
"This is going to be too easy."
Himora says as he draws his sword and rushes in at the giant.
I roll my eyes, swallowing the idea of an organized attack.
"Why does he do that!?"
I yell in anger, more so thinking out loud than anything.
I grip my spear and rush after him into the room with Athena at my tail.
The giant turns around with its huge mace and swings it in my direction.
"Oh no, you don't!"
I shout up at him as I dodge the clumsy attack.
"I CRUSH YOU ALL! YOU NEVER PASS ME!"
He shouts in anger as he looks my way.
Himora sprints behind him, Athena to his left, and I stand in front.
"I hope one of them has a plan, because I don't!"
I think to myself as I brace my spear for combat.
Athena springs into action.
She runs at the giant-of-a-man from the left, then just as he swings his mace, she hops atop it and runs up his arm, wraps her legs around his thick neck, and slaps her hands over his eyes.
"GUESS WHO!?"
She shouts with a smirk.
"ME CAN'T SEE! ME CRUSH YOU NOW!"
The giant uses his free hand to reach up and attempt to grab the brave girl, but his reaction was too late, and her plan was already in motion.
"Not yet, you won't! ATOMIC FLAIRS!"
Suddenly, Athena's hands began to glow a bright, golden yellow as they rapidly rose in temperature, becoming as hot as coals.
The now blinded giant screams in pain as it randomly thrashes and swings its mace about without a clue as to where its targets are.
"Man, that had to hurt!"
Himora thinks aloud.
"But not as much as this!"
He runs and slides between the giant's legs, slicing both the front and back of them. The giant falls backwards, and just before it hits the ground, Athena hops off.
"Hey! That was a little too close!"
She says as she glares at Himora, who simply puts his sword away.
"HEEEEEY! No fair! You didn't leave me anything!"
I shout in anger as I jab at the dead thing with my spear.
"And what have you learned?"
Himora says humorously.
"That you two are greedy!?"
I respond, my arms crossed over my chest defiantly, my spear lodged in the floor at my side.
"No... That you shouldn't count on plans so much, and be more free-lanced."
I stopped listening to him a few words into his response.
"...Stupid. Let's move on."
I gestured to the others.
"And the next one is MINE!"